According to the World Health Organization, Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing a life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering with early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psycho social and spiritual.”

Palliative care is often confused with hospice care but they differ. In hospice care, the patient must generally be considered terminal or within six months of death to be eligible for most hospice programs or to receive hospice benefits from the insurance. For palliative care, there are no time restrictions. Palliative care is available to patients at any time, at any stage of illness whether terminal or not.

Since there is no time limit on when you can receive palliative care, it acts to fill the gap for patients who want and need comfort at any stage of any disease, whether terminal or chronic. In a palliative care program, there is no expectation that life prolonging therapies will be avoided. Care can begin in the early stages of illness along with therapies intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.

Palliative care provides patients with relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Catholic Health Services offers Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation services, which include palliative care for those with short-term or long-term care needs.

We can help with your Hospice or Palliative Care needs.

Contact Catholic Hospice’s 24-hour referral and admission line at 305-351-7124 or 1-800-533-3933